To Succeed, You Need Optimism

Papabear,

I wanted to ask you if there is a way to handle feelings of emptiness.

Since the last months of 2021, I ended up hitting my lowest point because things haven't gone the way I planned. I came back to Vancouver to finish a diploma and settled there to start a life, but unfortunately, being unable to find a job in a whole new country has led to feeling empty and without a purpose. I'm starting to think it is no use trying anymore now that my current situation has led to personal issues with my family.

It seems like I'm getting embittered each day. And I'm afraid of shutting myself to people I love, along with any possibility of enjoying the good things that life might bring.

Regards,
Anonymous
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Dear Furiend,

Where are you from originally? Did you get your diploma? Why haven't you been able to find a job? What have you done to obtain a job? 

There are always options. Don't give up. Just because you haven't found work yet doesn't mean you won't.

Please send me more info on what type of job you are seeking and what you have done so far to find work.

Hugs,
Papabear
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Hi, Papabear,
I'm surprised you wanted to get in touch with me directly and even ask questions about myself.

I'll proceed to answer your questions.

I'm from a little state in Mexico and I managed to get my degree as a Digital Artist in 2017 after struggling with college in many aspects, then I came to Vancouver in 2018 to improve my skills/demo reel to enter an animation studio there. The first diploma/course worked out for me, but it didn't help me out to get a permit, so I had to take another course in that area to get a PGWP and I succeeded in doing so last year.

After finishing the second course I tried to apply as a Teaching Assistant at the 3D Arts school where I got the diploma that qualified for a PGWP (Post Graduate Working Permit), or a part-time job while the permit was in process. I focused on refining the  animation pieces of the demo reel, while getting any documentation for the paperwork process back then, but I couldn't nail anything on animation areas since the requirements for entry levels are asking for a year of experience in similar roles.

Right now, the landlady's relative helped me out to find a temporary job and I'm waiting for receiving a call to let me know when I do start capacitation. 

I'm trying to find a job as a 3D Animator and so far I'm simply working on other 3D animation exercises to improve the reel, while trying to send a general application for different studios. But the demand for higher level roles has led me to get discouraged from working on my reel further and now I'm trying to get over that feeling.

This temporary job could help me out for a bit, since it would be the very first time I get in the working force and to build experience. But I would prefer if it was related to my area to keep honing my skills, now that I have a work permit.

That's pretty much what I have been doing so far.

Last thing to bring is that I even ended up befriending people from the Vancoufur community and volunteered to help the VR Chat artists to see if I can make contacts that lead me closer to my goal. There's a reason why I'm doing this, but I'll bring this out in a follow up message.

Thanks so much for coming around. 
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Hello, Furiend,

It sounds to me as if you are doing all the right things. You are working to improve your skills, searching for work in your field, and, in the meantime, finding employment elsewhere to get some income while you pursue your dream.

It can be easy to get discouraged when things don't go your way as soon as you would like, but that is how the world can be. Let me tell you a story from my life. When I wrote my novel, The Steel of Enadia, I mailed it out to one hundred publishers before I got an acceptance letter (that's 99 rejections, 1 acceptance). And even that publisher didn't work out, so I ended up going with a small press in Canada that was running a competition judged by author Piers Anthony. I won, and got my book published. As happy as that sounds, the book sold poorly, which was also discouraging to me. What happened next was I started writing nonfiction books and found I had a real gift for that, which is what I am now doing in my life: writing nonfiction.

There are two lessons here: 1) Never give up trying, and 2) Be flexible and keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities. In the business world, no one is going to give you a free ride and hand you your dream job. You have to work and sweat for it. Before I got my first job as an editor, I worked in a burger joint, as a cashier, and in a factory. Sometimes you have to sweat over a fat fryer before an opportunity strikes. Don't let yourself get down and don't give in to pessimism.

Optimism is key. The person who succeeds in life is the one who is optimistic about the future. Optimism inspires you to work hard and to keep going no matter what. How do you become more optimistic? Here are a few tips:

1. Don't blame yourself if things don't go your way immediately
2. On the other paw, give yourself credit when things DO go your way
3. Learn from your mistakes, but also from your successes, no matter how small, and build on those
4. If you have a setback, remember it is only temporary. "This, too, shall pass."
5. Believe in yourself and that you can make good things happen
6. Learn self-confidence. Don't put yourself down. When you interview for a job, always say to yourself, "Yes! I can do this!"
7. Don't develop tunnel vision; don't be so focused on one goal that you don't see opportunities outside that goal.
8. And, no matter what, always remember this: Be a good person. In the end, nothing else really matters but who you are as a human being

Hope this helps.

Bear Hugs,
Papabear